The attack on the woman, who is originally from the Philippines, is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime
A woman was allegedly surrounded by a group of teenage boys in Belfast City Centre who attacked her with water balloons and eggs in what she believes may have been a racist incident.
The incident took place on Donegall Place, close to Holland & Barretts, at around 5.30pm on Monday, July 28, when a group of around six teenage boys are alleged to have attacked a woman after she told them to stop harassing others in the area.
It has been claimed that the boys surrounded the woman as she attempted to get on to a bus, with one of the boys smashing a water balloon against the side of her head, with his hand slapping against her head. The group is then alleged to have thrown further water balloons and eggs before a member of the public intervened.
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The incident is alleged to have taken place after the woman confronted the boys who were reportedly throwing water balloons, eggs and firing a water pistol at others in the area.
Speaking to Belfast Live, the woman, who is originally from the Philippines, said she struggled to sleep due to anxiety following the incident that left her “shaking all night” and believes that there may have been a racist motive as she says the group had been harrassing people who appeared “to be foreign”, such as a group of people of possible Indian descent.
She said: “There was a group of boys on Donegall Place who were throwing water balloons and eggs at people and after I saw them throw them at a group of people who looked Indian near Primark Home I walked towards them and told them to stop what they were doing.
“I went on to get the bus home and as I was getting on they started throwing eggs and water balloons towards me, but I just ignored it at first. Then the group surrounded me and one of them came up from my side and hit a water balloon against the side of my head, with his hand banging against me.
“They continued to try and humilate me and all I could think to do was take out my phone and video them, and thankfully someone intervened to help me and tell them to stop.
“The group seemed to be only going after people who looked foreign and I am still in shock that something like this has happened to me, I struggled to sleep because I was shaking by the thought of it all night.
“It is a horrible thing to be taking place in Belfast City Centre and creates a horrible image for the city to anyone who visits here. It has now left me worried about going out and I am just thankful that I wasn’t with my young daughter.”
Police have said the are appealing for witnesses following the incident, which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.
A Police Service spokesperson said: “Officers received a report at approximately 5.45pm that a water balloon was thrown at a woman in the Donegall Square West area, striking her in the face.
“It was further reported that the male who had thrown the item had done so with an open palm, and his hand had connected with the woman’s face.
“We are treating this report as a racially motivated hate crime at this stage, and enquiries are ongoing at this time.
“Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or have any information which could assist police, is asked to contact 101, and quote reference number 1248 of 28/07/25.
“Alternatively, you can also submit a report or information online using the non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”
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